Break the curse!
Pardon me for the long entry but I had to write about this one.
Break the curse!
It wasn't a traumatic experience but it's definitely one night I'll never forget.
I was supposed to be a field marshal. I helped out at the entrance because we made that thing they use with the black light to check the tickets. We were there if something went wrong (like running out of batteries or LED dying out, etc). It took around 2 to 3 hours for people before they got in. The line stretched from the entrance (in front of educ) up to the sidewalk, around the oval going to Eng'g and another going to AS. That's a very long line. I went backstage to request for more marshals to help at the entrance but none could be spared. Before the "riot" broke out, there were around 10 marshals out there, one was a girl, one security guard, I think I saw one or two from UP Police.
I have no idea of the time because I don't have a watch and I left my cellphone inside for safety purposes. I think it was around the performance of giniling festival when things started to get wild. The JJs, orcs, whatever name you want to call them, started to go wild on the right side of the entrance. A little later on, they started tackling the walls made of yero, to try and break it down. They weren't doing it randomly, they we're doing it systematically. It was like an army being led to war by a general. They had a signal when to charge and when to go back. They were flinging rocks over the wall. People inside were getting hurt. I was holding the ropes on the line so I feel so helpless just watching them do that. No I didn't want to get in front of that unruly mob, I just wanted to call for help from the police or the security. I glanced over and I see only one person in front, the Pan Xenia guy who was helping me out earlier on the lines. He was all alone. I asked Potpot, one of my orgmates arranging the line to call for help. He said the police were already called. A few minutes passed, they were still trying to break down the wall. No one was stopping them. Jerome passed by and I asked him to go to the USC booth and report what was happening. I'm pretty sure they know what was happening but I was wondering why no help was coming.
After a few minutes, all hell broke loose. People started running around. The line broke out, my rope was useless. I was trying to recover the rest of it during all the commotion. Around 5 seconds later, I realized that was a stupid decision. I dropped the rope, ran like hell back to the entrance. Roby was there to help me get in. At this point, the gates were closed for entry. I was going back to the Love Rage booth to settle down but I saw Roby and Alvi still at the entrance. I dragged those two away because it was unsafe there. Not more than 5 minutes later, the gate was broken and some were able to get in. It's a good thing the security people were quick to respond. They pushed away the people trying to get in. Those who were persistent got hit and taken into custody. Program was stopped for a while.
This was around 11:30. I knew the time because they had a countdown timer on the stage for the fireworks at midnight. When everything seemed settled, the program resumed and I rested a while. I went to the backstage to get my dinner. I went back to booth and had dinner during the fireworks countdown. While eating, Cocoy came up to the booth and asked for more marshals at the entrance because they were allowing entry again. I didn't know who ordered that re-entry. Aro went to the entrance to help while I was still eating. After eating, I went there and helped also. We weren't checking the tickets anymore, just ripped the stub then let them go inside. Some time later, I peeked outside, JJs were again starting to bang the walls. Then suddenly, the UP Policeman in the area was suddenly knocked unconscious. I didn't know what happened, he just fell down. The guy in front of the line exclaimed "Yung kasama nyo tumumba na o!" I wanted to help but I wasn't ready to go out there and risk my life. Two security people went out and carried him to the entrance. Yes people were kind enough to let them through the entrance. Since the gate was broken before, we had it replaced with a steel pipe. To get through, people must crouch. So the unconscious policeman was picked up by the arms and dragged through the pipes. Nobody else was helping so I quickly grabbed his legs and we ran to the first aid booth as fast as we can. As we passed by the crowd, gasps and "Oh my God"s were all around. I glanced at the poor policeman, his head was bloody. I didn't look again. As I left the first aid station, I didn't know what to think. It's my first time in that kind of situation. I can't believe this happened to me.
I went back to the entrance and they were still allowing re-entry. I hung around and helped in holding the gate. Things started to escalate again. Aro went to the entrance and asked us to move away immediately because things really were getting more and more unruly. I complied and asked the others there to move away as well and leave it to the security personnel. The program was stopped permanently because of the violence outside. The wall was really coming down. A hole was also produced near our booth. People were flowing in non-stop. Our head, Ken, told us to grab all bags and run to the backstage. At the backstage, we waited for everyone of our orgmates. It's good that none of them got hurt or injured.
I've attended the UP fair for four years. This is the first time I saw this happen. I didn't know why the unruly crowd wasn't dispersed as early as possible. Backup can't be that far away right? Some security personnel and policemen weren't helping as well. WE STUDENTS were in front of the gate holding it. The PX guy was brave enough to stand in front of the mob earlier to try and stop them, the police and security weren't. I overheard one UP policeman say "alam mo naman ang PNP, ayaw makialam sa ganito." The people inside the grounds were scared as hell. Jen told me at one point, "Mas safe pa nga sa labas kesa dito sa loob."
I'm just glad it's all over now.
Break the curse!
It wasn't a traumatic experience but it's definitely one night I'll never forget.
I was supposed to be a field marshal. I helped out at the entrance because we made that thing they use with the black light to check the tickets. We were there if something went wrong (like running out of batteries or LED dying out, etc). It took around 2 to 3 hours for people before they got in. The line stretched from the entrance (in front of educ) up to the sidewalk, around the oval going to Eng'g and another going to AS. That's a very long line. I went backstage to request for more marshals to help at the entrance but none could be spared. Before the "riot" broke out, there were around 10 marshals out there, one was a girl, one security guard, I think I saw one or two from UP Police.
I have no idea of the time because I don't have a watch and I left my cellphone inside for safety purposes. I think it was around the performance of giniling festival when things started to get wild. The JJs, orcs, whatever name you want to call them, started to go wild on the right side of the entrance. A little later on, they started tackling the walls made of yero, to try and break it down. They weren't doing it randomly, they we're doing it systematically. It was like an army being led to war by a general. They had a signal when to charge and when to go back. They were flinging rocks over the wall. People inside were getting hurt. I was holding the ropes on the line so I feel so helpless just watching them do that. No I didn't want to get in front of that unruly mob, I just wanted to call for help from the police or the security. I glanced over and I see only one person in front, the Pan Xenia guy who was helping me out earlier on the lines. He was all alone. I asked Potpot, one of my orgmates arranging the line to call for help. He said the police were already called. A few minutes passed, they were still trying to break down the wall. No one was stopping them. Jerome passed by and I asked him to go to the USC booth and report what was happening. I'm pretty sure they know what was happening but I was wondering why no help was coming.
After a few minutes, all hell broke loose. People started running around. The line broke out, my rope was useless. I was trying to recover the rest of it during all the commotion. Around 5 seconds later, I realized that was a stupid decision. I dropped the rope, ran like hell back to the entrance. Roby was there to help me get in. At this point, the gates were closed for entry. I was going back to the Love Rage booth to settle down but I saw Roby and Alvi still at the entrance. I dragged those two away because it was unsafe there. Not more than 5 minutes later, the gate was broken and some were able to get in. It's a good thing the security people were quick to respond. They pushed away the people trying to get in. Those who were persistent got hit and taken into custody. Program was stopped for a while.
This was around 11:30. I knew the time because they had a countdown timer on the stage for the fireworks at midnight. When everything seemed settled, the program resumed and I rested a while. I went to the backstage to get my dinner. I went back to booth and had dinner during the fireworks countdown. While eating, Cocoy came up to the booth and asked for more marshals at the entrance because they were allowing entry again. I didn't know who ordered that re-entry. Aro went to the entrance to help while I was still eating. After eating, I went there and helped also. We weren't checking the tickets anymore, just ripped the stub then let them go inside. Some time later, I peeked outside, JJs were again starting to bang the walls. Then suddenly, the UP Policeman in the area was suddenly knocked unconscious. I didn't know what happened, he just fell down. The guy in front of the line exclaimed "Yung kasama nyo tumumba na o!" I wanted to help but I wasn't ready to go out there and risk my life. Two security people went out and carried him to the entrance. Yes people were kind enough to let them through the entrance. Since the gate was broken before, we had it replaced with a steel pipe. To get through, people must crouch. So the unconscious policeman was picked up by the arms and dragged through the pipes. Nobody else was helping so I quickly grabbed his legs and we ran to the first aid booth as fast as we can. As we passed by the crowd, gasps and "Oh my God"s were all around. I glanced at the poor policeman, his head was bloody. I didn't look again. As I left the first aid station, I didn't know what to think. It's my first time in that kind of situation. I can't believe this happened to me.
I went back to the entrance and they were still allowing re-entry. I hung around and helped in holding the gate. Things started to escalate again. Aro went to the entrance and asked us to move away immediately because things really were getting more and more unruly. I complied and asked the others there to move away as well and leave it to the security personnel. The program was stopped permanently because of the violence outside. The wall was really coming down. A hole was also produced near our booth. People were flowing in non-stop. Our head, Ken, told us to grab all bags and run to the backstage. At the backstage, we waited for everyone of our orgmates. It's good that none of them got hurt or injured.
I've attended the UP fair for four years. This is the first time I saw this happen. I didn't know why the unruly crowd wasn't dispersed as early as possible. Backup can't be that far away right? Some security personnel and policemen weren't helping as well. WE STUDENTS were in front of the gate holding it. The PX guy was brave enough to stand in front of the mob earlier to try and stop them, the police and security weren't. I overheard one UP policeman say "alam mo naman ang PNP, ayaw makialam sa ganito." The people inside the grounds were scared as hell. Jen told me at one point, "Mas safe pa nga sa labas kesa dito sa loob."
I'm just glad it's all over now.